Clarity
by EvilAngeal
Summary: Premise; What if Cloud really was Ex-SOLDIER and what happened at Nibelheim didn't exactly end the way they did?   If there will be any actual pairing I don't know yet.
1. Prelude

**Author Note;** I don't own stuff… 'cept this computer.

**Clarity**

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It began like any other typical night at the 7th Heaven. The bar was as full as it got with half of her patrons drunk and murmuring amongst themselves, the others only half as drunk as they would like to have been staring solemnly at their empty glass either unable or unwell to refill it. Not that Tifa would have had half a mind to if they asked. It wouldn't do anyone any good whatsoever.

Barret was downstairs going over the plans of attack. It had been awhile coming now but they were finally ready to do it; to blow one of those reactors sky high. Tifa was only sorry she herself could not also go. But they did indeed need to put up a front.

"Could I get a drink please" a man asked. Pulling herself out of her thoughts she gave the stranger as warm a smile as she could muster.

"What would you like?" she asked the hooded man.

"Just something hard, thanks Tifa" he responded. She moved down the bar and fixed the nondescript drink for the man, passing it to him promptly before turning to make herself busy by sorting out the empty glasses and bottles threatening to litter the bar.

_Thud_

She resisted a smile. Apparently Biggs was paying as much attention as he normally did judging from Barret energetic response. As quickly as her smile had came it was soon gone again though. She couldn't help but worry a little bit. After all they were her friends, and Shinra was a global power, so her concerns were not at all unfounded. But then again, they were not going to be rolling in with hopes and dreams as clearance and foul language as a weapon. The plan was as solid as it was going to get. No, she thought to herself, the thing to do would certainly be to keep herself busy, focus on what she could do rather than to concern herself with something she cannot change.

As the night went one and the bar became quieter she found herself wondering what a certain spiky haired blonde was doing right about now. She wondered what life is SOLDIER was like for him now, surely he would have had time to get used to what was surely a tough routine by now. She was disappointed she had not heard anything of him, but then after That incident she had heard no news of any SOLDIER activity. She the glass she had been cleaning absent mindedly cracked under her grip. Sighing to herself she cleaned up the mess. Just as she decided to forget about the source of said stress…

_THUD THUD_

'_Time to close up then_' she thought to herself. Placing her hands on her hips she surveyed the bar. There were only three people left and two of them were always stumbling out. The only one left was the hooded guy. She moved down the bar and leant over in front of him her arms holding the bar on either side.

"Sorry but it's time to close up" she said in a regretful tone. The man smiled at her.

"Don't worry about it, You can let your friends up" he said knowingly. Tifa cooled at that, this couldn't be some sort of agent could it?

"What do you-" she began but was cut off

"Your friends downstairs, using the pinball machine I think" He said gesturing in the direction of the arcade machine. This time he cut her off before she could do anymore than inhale to respond

"Come on, Tifa, I was never _that_ dumb to you, was it?" he asked, seemingly hurt. This time Tifa had to pause. A thought later, she realised he had thanked her by name when she served him earlier, yet she was pretty sure he was not a regular, or even someone she could identify by lower face and voice. And just who was he that he assumed she know who he was?

"Who are you?" she asked slightly irritated by the act already. He smiled and lowered the hood revealing spiky blonde hair.

"…..Cloud?" she gasped, breaking out into a smile when he nodded with that smirk of his.

_THUD THUD THUD_

"Oh, one moment" she said before hurrying off and sending the 'hidden' elevator down, hurrying back to her old friend.

"How have you been?" she said smiling brightly now. "Did you get into SOLDIER?" He raised his hands as though fending her off

"Sure I did. I said I would didn't I? But now… well all that stuff is history, which I guess isn't a bad thing. But that's a long and boring story, filled with sighs. How about you, how are you doing? You have your own bar which certainly doesn't seem to be a bad thing" he finished just as Barret came and stood next to them.

"Whose this guy?" he asked, not taking his eyes off Cloud. After Cloud simply stared back Tifa decided to introduce him.

"This is Cloud, we grew up together" she said. Barret gave her a look. He likely would have said something were she not beaming, something he hadn't the heart to break for something he really didn't altogether care about.

"He's Barret, he's a friend" she commented as Cloud watched the bigger man move away. She softly jabbed his arm, causing him to look back at her mildly surprised

"You didn't start a fight!" she teased "Back in the day; one wrong look? That's all it took. You've grown up" Cloud gave her a bemused smile

"I know… ghastly isn't it?" He commented, "So you didn't answer my question"

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Tifa had learnt a lot of what Cloud had been up to. Though it was mainly just SOLDIER, his travels, brief details of where he had been and the kind of things he was sent to do. He had told her that both he had resigned and the group was shut down 5 years ago, and she felt she had an inkling as to why. After all when your prime star goes rogue it's definitely time to re-evaluate. He also happened to mention they didn't take too kindly to his 'resignation' and it was more than a few unkind words directed at his person by them since, hence the hood. He had spent a bit of time moving around as invisibly as he could before wondering into the slums. After he had found out she was here, he decided they hadn't seen each other for long enough. She was very glance he had thought so.

She had spent some time talking about what she had been doing with herself, and told him about AVALANCHE. She explained their theory about what harm the mako reactors were really doing, and to her delight he agreed with the theory and agreed to help out on this mission. Barret wasn't overly keen on the idea, but she noticed the slightest change in his facial features when he learnt Cloud was Ex-SOLDIER, never a bad thing to have on your side.

She slid herself under the covers and smiled to herself. It was always an odd fact to her mind that things could change so drastically in a day. But it was rather wonderful when that was for the better.

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R&R if you want more. If you don't, then don't I guess….

Any questions about it you can review or PM


	2. And so it Begins

**And so it Begins…**

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The endless series of tiny lights shining in the darkness always brought a smile to her face. The way the shone out from the darkness reminded her a lot like some people in the world; they seemed so small in all that nothing, but despite it all their light could be seen by all. But there was still something concerning about it, Aerith thought as she stood, pulling away from the mako leak. She hoisted her basket of flowers up to her elbow and walked out of the alleyway.

She was greeted by the thundering roar of engines as cars whizzed by, people moving around her to get to wherever they were going. She took her first steps forward while looking around. She never forgot how big the world seemed to be on top of the plate. Looking up she was greeted by the familiar sight of the Shinra Headquarters, the truth was; she was just one person, lost in a sea of millions.

Elsewhere…

The brakes began to hiss and screech, sparks flaring at the slowing of the train into the station.

"MOVE IT" Barret yelled, practically kicking his group into action. Biggs had already jumped out further up the train, throwing the guard into the train hard enough to leave him knocked out, stone cold.

Jessie was next, diving out of the trains carriage with a stiff kick to the other guards body, causing him to keel over in pain. After doing so, Wedge popped out, and follow Jessie and Biggs off the platform. Barret ran out next turning back to yell at Cloud some more

"Come on Newcomer, follow me!" he yelled, and turned and ran without waiting for him. By the time Cloud was on the platform Barret was already gone, but two more guards had turned up. Unsheathing his huge sword he used it as a shield against their gunfire before knocking them both out with it's blunt sides. There was no sense in spilling blood unnecessarily. These guys were just the flunkies after all… besides, after that thing went off it would probably kill more than a few people. He followed suit, not waiting a second for more guards to turn up.

As he made it to the reactor perimeter fence, he found the three subordinates overriding the lock mechanism of the gate. The thinner guy turned toward him upon noticing his arrival, a big grin plastered on his face.

"Wow! You used to be in SOLDIER all right!" he paused "Not everyday ya find one in a group like AVALANCHE." He added on thoughtfully and seemingly somewhat confused

"SOLDIER?" Jessie spoke up, the confusion heavy in her voice "Aren't they the enemy? What's he doing with us in AVALANCHE?"

"Hold it, Jessie. He WAS in SOLDIER. He quit them and is now one of us" he said with a grin. He cocked his head back to Cloud "Didn't catch your name…" he said trailing off.

"…Cloud"

"Cloud, eh? I'm-"

"Biggs" Cloud interrupted, having gotten the names from Tifa beforehand. Biggs looked confused for a moment but recovered quickly.

"The Hell you all doin'!" The rumble of the newly arrived Barret shouted "I thought I told you never to movie in a group! Our target's the north Mako reactor. We'll meet on the bridge infront of it." He ordered just as Jessie cracked open the door. Everyone fell through the gate except for Barret who blocked the path, he turned to Cloud and leant over him a little

"Ex-SOLDIER, huh?" he said with a disapproving look "I don't trust ya!" he shot before turning following his team.

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"Rendezvous at Sector 8 station. Split up and get on that train!" Barret ordered over the crackling of fire and the sirens flocking to the source of the explosion. After his 3 regulars nodded, they each split without a seconds hesitation. Cloud simply stood back and watch them scatter before making his own move in the only other direction left, pretty certain that it would be a long detour to make the train on the path he was taking.

It was only when he made it into the streets did he see the devastation their actions had. Cars blown over, glass from the buildings littering the streets people pushing and shoving to flee with more possessions they could really carry. Meanwhile there were people who clearly were looting the destroyed and vacant homes. All around him there were sound of shouting, screaming, crying, the screen of tires the blasting of horns .

"Excuse me" came a soft voice somehow through all the chaos. Cloud turned to see a woman in a pink dress. It was dirty and the way her flowers were all dishevelled he was guessing she had been knocked down more than a few times since it began.

"What happened?" she asked him. Cloud resisted the urge to look as guilty as he felt.

"Nothing… Hey…" he began uncertainly. He thought about telling her to get out of here, that is wasn't safe. But then, he hadn't the time to see it done himself and if she couldn't tell as much herself there was no helping her.

"Nevermind" He sighed. She blinked, confused

"What? Tell me!" she asked him in a half worried and half confused manner. Cloud couldn't say anything. After a moments silence she spoke up again

"Uh, excuse me, would you like to buy some flowers? They're only one gil" she asked with a hopeful smile. Cloud studied her for a moment, not entirely able to believe she was making him a sales pitch here and now. '_I guess times really are just that hard_' he considered to himself. He nodded

"Sure, I'll take some" She looked as surprised as he felt when she had asked but broke out into a delighted smile

"Oh! Thank you!" she said pulling out the most undamaged ones "Here you are!"

After taking the flower in hand he sent her on her way to someplace safer, then realised he was going to miss the train probably. He dashed off. He wouldn't have stood out at all running, well not if you discounted the giant sword on his back and the bouquet of flowers in his hand. If you did count them, then he looked extremely odd indeed. Everyone around him was either carrying all their possessions, or an object of destruction. He weaved through the crowds, slipping down quieter streets as he created more distance between himself and the reactor. He was at least nearing the train station now.

"Hey! You there!" came a commanding shout from behind. Glancing over his shoulder he saw them; Shinra troops. There was no point in stopping now, he was already running. He picked up the pace hearing them shout a final warning, darted around the corner before they could get a shot off. Only he came face to face with more of them. He skidded to a halt and ran the other way, this time having to bob and weave as be as he could through a spray of bullets from the first ones. As he made it to the other side of the street he found yet more of them. He ran back again but now realised his predicament. He backed up again the ledge which stood over the train track. The boys in blue weapons drawn on him

Cloud looked at the flowers and then at himself. This wasn't quite the heroic death a SOLDIER might have hoped for.

"That's as far as you go… and I'm thinking we're better off just putting you down…" the one directly in front of Cloud said. Just as he was about to throw down the flowers and put up Some sort of a resistance he heard a heavenly sound; the train beginning to come from under the bridge.

"Yes…" he said with a nod, resisting a smirk "I will just step off this bridge, and save you the bullets" The troops shared a look of confusion for a moment before Cloud hopped off the ledge. They ran to the edge to see blonde spikes riding off into the distance on top of the train.

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Tifa had been watching the reports of the explosion on the news when Barret had stormed in and kicked everyone out rather harshly. Though she couldn't blame him for being a little tense. That and she was glad to see he was alright and not looking too solemn for anything to be terribly wrong. Moments later she saw Biggs, Wedge and Jessie were all fine. She breathed a sigh of relief, but…

"Where's Cloud?" she asked turning to Barret

"I'm here" he said walking into the bar. She smiled automatically and looked him over. If she didn't know better she'd have thought her went out for a stroll. There wasn't a scratch on him. It was then she noticed the flowers, and she wasn't the only one, Barret raised an eyebrow. She blinked and looked back to him as he approached her raising them in offering to her.

"Oh" she whispered in surprised. "You shouldn't have. Thank you, Cloud" she said, closing her eyes and breathing their scent in deeply. "They smell wonderful." She quickly whipped out a large glass, filled it with water, then popped the flowers in

"Maybe I should fill the whole store with flowers" she mused absently with a smile. It was odd but, now that she thought about it no one had ever given her flowers before. After all, she lived in Midgar, the earth was so polluted you'd have to grow them a hundreds miles away.

"Alright everyone we're starting the meeting!" Barret called out, Marlene sitting on his shoulder with his hand holding her steady. Tifa moved her new flowers from the counter to the back of the bar, away from anyone else having decided they were meant for her and she was going to keep them for herself. As she made to go downstairs herself she found Cloud sitting at the bar.

"How about… something to drink?" she asked, feeling particularly pleased towards him.

"Sure, something hard" he answered. She moved down the bar and made him one of her famous cocktails. She passed it to him hoping that he would like it.

"You know, I'm relieved you made it back safely" she confessed, leaning over the bar towards him. Cloud eyed her for a moment, taking in her faint smile, but the concern in her eyes as she looked down the bar more so. There was a silence while he worked out what he wanted to say.

"I guess it's harder to sit here and be concerned for everyone than take part…" he remarked quietly. Tifa frowned for a moment. First flowers, then that? This wasn't the Cloud she remembered anymore… But then, she had to consider, they weren't ever really THAT close back then.

"Any idea what you're going to do once you get your pay from Barret?" she asked, daring to hope for a particular answer. Cloud took a swig of his drink, half draining it before looking up at the dim lights of the bar.

"Not really. I guess I just came here because I had heard you were here…" he said thoughtfully. Tifa would be lying if she said that didn't please her. She wanted him to stay, she felt like they had more catching up to do, and somewhere along the way she had forgotten how much she had missed him. But she wasn't selfish enough to ask him if he had other things he wanted to do, or places he wanted to see.

"We've better head down" she said with a sigh. Cloud nodded, finishing his drink in another big swig.

Cloud hopped down to the secret level, hitting the switch, sending the machine up for Tifa. Barret was pummelling loudly on a heavy boxing bag, Jessie was on a computer, Biggs and Wedge engaged in conversation. He made his way toward Barret, intending to ask him about his pay when Barret beat him to it.

"Yo, Cloud. There's something I wanna ask you" he said inbetween his punches. "Is there anyone from SOLDIER fighting us today?" he asked, as Tifa came down the elevator. Cloud folded his arms and shook his head.

"None. I'm positive" he replied simply. Barret made a few more jabs, with a thoughtful expression on his face before stopping again.

"You sound pretty sure" he said. Cloud made to remark that there's no way they'd still be here if there were but caught himself and thought better of it.

"SOLDIER is… history. I'd be surprised if there's anyone whose a part of that now" Cloud said looking downward. Barret shrugged then jabbed a few more times. Tifa couldn't help but notice a certain hint of sadness about Clouds words.

"You look like to miss it, but you don't sound so much like it" Barret continued "So which is it?" Cloud flashed a dangerous glare before his face fell into unamused neutrality. Barret grunted.

"Just don't get any ideas about hanging on to the Shinra" he finished turning back to the bag

"Hanging on to the Shinra?" Cloud hissed, Tifa raised a hand to try to stop him fearing a fight as he moved toward Barret. "You asked me a question, I answered it. My turn; what about my money?" he said dangerously, as he squared up to Barret who only looked at him from over his shoulder.

"I'll be upstairs when you want to pay me" he said walking away, back upstairs.

"Cloud wait-" Tifa began

"Tifa, let him go" Barret spat "Looks like he still misses the Shinra" Cloud clenched his teeth and fists.

"Shut up" Cloud snapped "I don't care about Shinra or SOLDIER" he moved to the ping pong machine and hit the button. "But don't get me wrong, I really couldn't care less about AVALANCHE for that matter" he finished as he disappeared upon reaching the bar level.

He found himself wanting to hit something. That Barret really could be intolerable. He resisted the urge to break something as he stalked toward the exit. Just then the machine went back down. A moment later he saw Tifa coming up from below.

"Cloud… Listen, I want to ask you; Please join us" she half pleaded. He turned away from her, but didn't move when she put a hand on his shoulder

"The planet is dying. Slowly but surely, it's dying. Someone Has to do something." She tried reasoning.

"So let Barret and his buddies do something about it. It's got nothing to do with me." He said before turning back and making for the door.

"So! That's it! You're really leaving!" she boiled, caught between hurt and upset. Hurt that he wouldn't do what she asked, but upset that she knew she was running out of ways to stopping him for leaving for who knows how long this time.

"You're just going to walk right on, ignoring your childhood friend!" she cried. Cloud bolt upright and span around

"How can you say that?" he said. Tifa studied him, and relaxed a little

"Did you forget your promise?" She asked

"Promise…?" he half asked, his face screwed up in concentration.

"So you DID forget" she chided softly ash she closed the gap between them, hands on her hips.

"You're not talking about wanting to be rescued are you?" he asked causing Tifa to pause. She couldn't help but smile.

"So you remember after all" she murmured.

"I remember how you left me waiting out in the cold" he taunted playfully. Tifa rolled her eyes at him

"I didn't leave you waiting THAT long" she said tapping his arm with her fist.

"Easy to say that from inside the warmth of your home" Cloud remarked quietly. Tifa widened her eyes with a sigh

"Oh I'm sorry, I thought you used to be in SOLDIER. Mistook you for a real man did I?" she teased. Cloud smiled.

"Look… Tifa I-" he began, but she cut his short

"Nope! You remember it, so come on. You've got to keep it" She said with a victorious smile. Before Cloud could retort, Barret was climbing up the elevator.

"Wait a sec, big time SOLDIER" he said pulling out an envelope and tossing it to him "Here's your pay" Cloud snatched it out of the air and flicked through it. There was about 1,500 gil.

"Got the next one lined up?" Cloud asked absently as he tucked his pay away.

"What then you'll…!" Tifa began hopefully, clasping her hands together.

"You're gonna stay?" Barret asked, his own surprise evident in his tone "Fine, how much you want?" He asked, both he and Tifa dreading the answer. Cloud glanced at Tifa with a knowing smile.

"Don't worry about that. Seems I owe you guys at least one" he turned around and made again for the door "I'll be back here same time tomorrow, see you"

With that he was gone. Barret grunted and headed back down. He thought he had Cloud figured earlier, but then the way he shown up late on the train, the flowers, now this. He had just decided to label Cloud 'one strange guy' and leave it at that. Still, he wouldn't turn down his help, not for near-any amount of money. He was strong, that much was for damn certain. The only thing that concerned his was that enigmatic past he had with Shinra. He wouldn't admit it but he could tell he misjudged before; Cloud doesn't have any attachment to them any more than himself or Tifa did. But then it had to be said neither of them had been involved with Shinra like he was either.

"What a weird guy" he commented aloud. Tifa only glanced at him "Whatever I'll be getting Marlene to bed now" Tifa nodded and began to close up the bar. It had been some day, she was just looking forward to getting herself into bed and unwinding a little. After all, tomorrow wasn't going to be any easier.

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End of chapter 2

Think I'll make it Cloud & Tifa focused, feels like there's a lot of potential there.

If you review; Don't tell me spoilers, I am playing the game a little ahead of what I am writing (this is an experiment for me). I already know that Cloud wasn't a SOLDIER, though I only know brief details thankfully, but less fortunately I've seen exactly what happens at Nibelheim… so yeah, we'll just see.

P.S if you would prefer me to deviate from the exact script more often, now would be the time to ask. Though I expect at some point my own development of each character will make them different somewhat.


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